Pumpmobile toy



Sept. 1951 c. A. SWENSON ET AL 2,567,453

PUMPMOBILE TOY Filed June 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQ C PS-VJPCCAE s 3328 Patented Sept. 11, 1951 PIHVIPMOBILE TOY Carl Alfred Swenson and Philip R. Swenson, Loves Park, 111.

Application June 3, 1950, Serial No. 165,956

This invention relates generally to a wheeled top vehicle and more particularly to that type of childs vehicle which is propelled forwardly by the pumping action of a handle bar operated by a seated rider, the vehicle being steered by the riders feet resting on opposite ends of the front axle.

The general object of the invention is to provide a power actuated toy vehicle of the above character which has an articulated figure thereon and in which the motions of the body, arms, and legs of the figure closely simulate the natural motions of a child operating such a vehicle.

Another object is to simulate the leg motions of a child steering a vehicle of the above character by connecting the feet of the figure to the front axle and oscillating the latter in a novel manner during propulsion of the toy.

A further object is to mount the front axle on the vehicle in a novel manner for selectively varying the path travelled by the latter.

The invention also resides in the novel manner of oscillating thefront axle and the handle bar ,of the vehicle to prevent damage to these parts by too rapid actuation thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figurev 1 is a perspective view of a wheeled toy vehicle'embodying the novel features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 3 with some of the parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in a different position.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the motor.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that I do not intend to limit the invention by such disclosure but aim to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

The toy vehicle shown for purposes of illustration includes an elongated box-like frame having a wheeled. support and comprising upright 8 Claims. (01. 46-107) child operating such a vehicle. 7 instance, the motor comprises a spiral spring sheet metal side and end walls l0 and II integral with a bottom wall I 2 and connected as by bent over lugs to a top wall l3. In this instance, the wheeled support'includes horizontal front and 'rear axles l4 and I5 projecting'transversely of the frame at opposite ends of the latter and having front, wheels [6 and I1 and rear wheels l8 and I9 thereon engageable with a supporting surface for the vehicle. Intermediate the ends of the frame, an upright handle 20 in the form of a lever having a cross bar 2| at its upper end is fulcrumed adjacent its lower end on a horizontal shaft 22 spanning the side walls II]. The handle projects upwardly from the shaft through a slot 23 formed in the top wall of the frame to permit the handle to rock back and forth about the shaft.

A figure 24 which is mounted on the fram top wall l3 behind the handle 20 comprises a body portion 25 having stiff arms 26 and jointed legs 21 pivoted adjacent their inner ends to upper and lower parts of the body. Herein, the latter is secured to a seat 28 pivoted on cars 29 bent up from the frame top wall and the arms, at their outer ends, are pivotally connected to the bar 2| of the upright handle 20. Thus, during oscillation of the latter, the body of the figure is rocked through the medium of the arms back and forth longitudinally of the frame.

To simulate closely the natural motions of a child steering a pumping type of vehicle, the feet 30 of the jointed legs 21 of the childs figure are pivotally connected at spaced points to the front axle I4 and the latter is mounted on the frame to rock about an upright axis. Such rocking is permitted by cutting away the frame side walls I0 adjacent their forward ends as indicated at 3| (Fig. 1). In this instance, the front axle is pivotall supported by an L-shaped member 32 mounted on the frame and having one leg 33 upstanding along the right sidewall of the latter and formed with a hole 34 to receive the axle. A washer 35 pressed on the axle limits'axial movement thereof in one direction relative to the upstanding pivot leg while movement in the opposite direction is limited by crimping the axle as indicated at 36.

The present invention contemplates utilizing the power applied to the vehicle for propelling the same as by a motor 38 to rock the handle 20 about the shaft 22, rock the figure 24 back and forth, flex the jointed legs 21, and steer the vehicle all to simulate the natural motion of a h In the present 39 having one end anchored to the frame and the other end connected to a horizontal shaft 40 which is journaled in spaced parallel plates 4| of a gear box 42 secured as by a screw 43 to the frame bottom wall l2 at the rear portion thereof. The shaft 40 may be turned to wind up the spring by a key 44 coupled to a projecting end of the shaft. A spur gear 45 fast on the latter meshes with .apinion 46"journaled on an intermediateshaftfland secured to a spur gear 48 which meshes with a hollow long pinion 49.

The latter is journaled in the gear box plates 4| and has a driving connection with'the rear axle l to propel the vehicle.

To facilitate assembly of "the :motor 38 and the rear axle l 5 and prevent damage to the parts of the toy by too rapid actuation thereof when the toy is raised from the supporting surfaces, the invention contemplates connecting1the-motor to only one rear wheell8 and actuating the front axle l4 andthe-handle 2.0-by motion derived-from the other reanwheel-IS which is-rotatablerela- .tive to the driving wheel I8. This is accom- ;plished in "the .present instance by securing the rear wheels to the outer ends of the rear axle l5-'and-.forming 'the latter in two :relatively rortatable sections5l anda52-one of which .is driven by-the-motor-and the :loose one-of which has a driving connection with the :front axle and the handle. To connect the motor to :the driving :axle section +5I, the flong lhollow pin-ion '49 .at vone end is secured to. and supports the 'inner end of thefsection. ,-At its other end, the pinion -:rotatably receives and provides .a :supporting :bearing for-theinnerzend of the loose iaxle sec- "tion 52. By .making "the pinion'of substantial length as shown, the axle sections ma project aoutwardly through enlarged holes in the *side walls {In of the frame and require nooutboard abearing support; Axial movement .-of the pinion in opposite directions relative to the-gear box is zlimited by a .washer-53 secured to the pinion and .a gear 54 fast-.onthe driving; axle section 5.! outside-of :the-gear box. This ,gear is connected to suitablezgoverning mechanism (notrshown) for.

controlling the speed 'at'which the driving wheel .-rotates.

The rotary :motion of the .loose axle section 52 and the wheel :I-Bithereonis utilized toactuate :the handle :20 and -the front axle J4 throughthe provision-of .a reciprocatory member or slide :55 having pivotal connections with these parts and reciprocated longitudinally of the frame by a crank 56 which is rotatable in unison with the loose axle section. :Herein, the -crank is-a spur gear having an eccentric pin 51 thereon 'and secured :to a shaft258 ijournaled in .the spaced plates -4'l.. -Meshing :with the crankis arpinion 59 fast on th.e loose .axle section .and forming a speed reducing iconnection between the latter and .the crankso that the partsofthefigm'eare actuated .slowly to resemble .the slow pumping and steer- :ing actions of a child operating [the above described type 'of vehicle. Movementof the loose section axially in opposite directions :is limited by engagement of the .pinion 59 fast thereon with the along-pinion and the -.left side wall 10.

in this instance, the slide 55 is generally :Leshaped in cross section having an upright .leg 60 -disposedalongside the left one of the frame side walls J0 and formed with a verticalslot-S-l in its rear portionto receive the eccentric ,pin 51 and connect vthecrank 56110 the slide for reciprocation-of the latter .in the rotation :of the crank. .At its forward-end, the upright slide .leg is pivotally connected to the front axle l4 by a downwardly opening slot 62 formed in the leg and receiving the axle at a point spaced along the latter from the swivel axis therefor. The other leg 63 of the slide is disposed horizontally under the frame top wall 13 and is formed with a slot 64 adapted to receive the handle 20 and pivotally connect the latter to the slide. Thus, the slide,

'inaddition to "rockingthe front axle about its swivel'axis, a1s0=oscil1ates thehandle to rock the figure 24 back and forth longitudinally of the frame.

The path to be travelled by the toy vehicle may'be changed selectively by moving the swivel axis-16f ithe fr'ont axle l4 longitudinally of the :frame in a novel manner so as to vary the inclina- ..tion.of.the meanposition of oscillation of the axle relative to the "longitudinal axis of the frame. .In this .instance, such movement of the swivel axis is effected simply by disposing the other leg --65-of the .L-shapedmember-M horizontally and pivotal1-y connecting the same-as by a-rivet 66 to .the-frame'bottom wall l2. To facilitate'swinging of the pivot leg 33,.an extension 61 thereof may be projected upwardly-through an .arcuate slot .68 in the top wall as shown, movement of the L-shaped member in opposite directions :about the rivet =56 being limited by engagement of r the horizontal leg 65 --with .the .left side wall 10 as .shown in Figs. 3.and 4.

Assuming that the toy vis =being propelled forwardly by -the'.spring.39 actinglthrough the driving axle section5l the-motion oftheloose wheel IS in rolling along the supporting surface, is converted to 'reciprocatory motion of the slide to rock the handle '20 and the figure 24 slowly back and forth longitudinally of the .frame. Such oscillation of the figure is between the rearmost position vshown in Fig. .2 in which the body 25 is upright and a forward position shown in Fig. 1

in which thebody is inclined forwardly.

Duringsuch forward motion of the vehicle, theslide-alsoswings the left portion of the front .axle 14 about the pivot leg 33 back and forth between the .positions vshown in full and in phantom in Fig.3 in which the .pivot leg is shown in its most :forward position. In the position of the axle .shown in full, the front wheels are turned to the left and the axle is inclined with respect to-the longitudinal axis of the frame. In the position shown in phantom, the wheels are only slightly turned to the left and the axle is almost normal to the longitudinal axis of the .frame. Thus, during propulsion of the vehicle, the mean positionof the front axle issuch that the toy travels in a large circletothe left.

To change the .path travelled :by the toy, the pivot leg 33 is merely swung clockwise about the rivet'fili'from .the position shown in Fig. 3 to .move the swiveling axis rearwardly-and thereby vary the inclination -of the front axle relative to the longitudinal axis of the frame for the position of the slide shown in Figs. 3 and 4. With the pivot member in the position'shown in Fig. 4, the axle is oscillated between the position shown in full in this figure in which the wheels point nearly straight ahead and the position shown in phantom-in which the wheels are turned to the right. Thus, the inclination of the mean position of oscillationof the axle such that the right front wheel is back of the left wheel and the toymoves around a circle to the right.

From the foregoing, it will be .apparentthat, during the oscillation of thefront axle, thejointed legs 21 of the figure 24 are flexed in the same '5 manner as a child steering a vehicle of the character described and the body 25 and arms 26 go through the same motions-as a child pumping the handle of such a vehicle. Since the spring 39 acts through only the driving wheel [8 and the movable parts of the figure are actuated by rotation of the loose Wheel l9 only, free running of driving wheel when the latter is not held against rotation will be ineffectual to move the figure or cause excessive vibration of the same. Thus, the life of the toy is prolonged. By using the L-shaped member 32 to define the swiveling pivot of the front axle and byusing the slide 55 to actuate both the latter and the handle, the construction of the toy is greatly simplified.

We claim as our invention:

1. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a frame, a power driven motor on the frame for propelling the vehicle, a wheeled support for said frame including a horizontal front axle mounted on the frame to oscillate about an upright swivel axis, an upright handle pivoted on said frame in termediate the ends of the latter to swing back and forth longitudinally of the frame, a figure having its body pivoted on said frame and having swingable arms pivotally connected to said handle, said figure having jointed legs with feet pivotally connected to said axle at points spaced along the latter, a member reciprocable longitudinally of said frame, means pivotally connecting said member to said handle and operable to swing the latter forwardly and backwardly and rock said figure through the medium of said arms during reciprocation of the member, means pivotally connecting said member to said axle at a point spaced from said axis to oscillate the axle and thereby flex said legs during reciprocation of the member, and mechanism on said frame operable during forward movement of said vehicle to reciprocate said member.

2. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a frame having front and rear wheels, a motor on said frame for propelling the vehicle, a wheeled support for said frame including a horizontal front axle, an L-shaped member having an upright leg pivotally supporting said axle for swiveling of the latter about an upright axis, a slide mounted on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof and having a pivotal connection with said axle spaced along the latter from said axis, mechanism on said frame operable during forward movement of said vehicle to reciprocate said slide forwardly and backwardly and thereby oscillate said axle about said axis, and a connection between the other leg of said member and said frame pivotally supporting the member for selective bodily adjustment of said upright axis longitudinally of said frame to vary the inclination of the mean position of oscillation of said axle relative to the longitudinal axis of said frame.

3. A toy vehicle having, in combination a frame, a motor on said frame for propelling the vehicle, a Wheeled support for said frame including a horizontal front axle, means defining a pivot for said axle for swiveling of the latter about an upright axis, a member movable longitudinally of said frame and having a connection with said axle spaced along the latter from said Divot therefor, mechanism on said frame operable during forward movement of the vehicle to reciprocate said member back and forth and thereby oscillate said axle about said axis to steer the vehicle, and means mounting said pivot means on said frame for selective bodily adjust- 'ment of said axis longitudinally of the frame to vary the inclination of said axle relative to the frame, a power driven motor mounted on the frame and operable to propel the vehicle, a wheeled support for said frame including a horizontal front axle mounted'on the frame to oscillate about an upright axis, a figure mounted on said frame intermediate the ends thereof and having jointed legs with feet pivotally connected to said axle at points spaced along the latter, a slide mounted on said frame to reciprocate back and forth longitudinally thereof and pivotally connected to said axle at a point spaced from said swivel axis, and mechanism operable during propulsion of the vehicle to reciprocate said slide and oscillate said axle to flex said legs and thereby simulate the motions of a child steering a vehicle.

5. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a

frame, a wheeled support for said frame includ-,

ing a rear axle having a driving section and a loose section axially alined and mounted on the rear portion of said frame to rotate relative to each other, a rearwheel fast on the outer end portion of each of said axle sections and engageable with a supporting surface, a power driven motor on said frame, mechanism operatively connecting said motor to said driving axle section to propel the vehicle, a figure mounted on said frame and having parts movable relative thereto, and mechanism operatively connecting said movable figure parts and said loose axle section and operable during propulsion of the vehicle to change the rotary motion of the axle section to oscillatory motion of the figure parts.

6. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a frame, a wheeled support for said frame including a driving wheel and a loose wheel supporting the rear end of the frame, a power driven motor on said frame operatively connected to said driving wheel to propel the vehicle, a horizontal front axle mounted on the frame to swivel about an upright axis, a figure on said frame having jointed legs with feet pivotally connected to said axle at points spaced along the latter, and mechanism on said frame operatively connecting said loose wheel and said axle and operable automatically during propulsion of the vehicle to change the rotary motion of the loose wheel to oscillating motion of the axle about said upright axis and thereby flex said legs.

'7. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a frame, a wheeled support for said frame including a loose wheel and a driving wheel supporting the rear end of the frame, a motor on said frame operatively connected to said driving wheel to propel the vehicle, an upright handle pivotally connected to said frame, a figure pivotally mounted on said frame and movable with said handle to simulate a pumping action, a rotary member on the frame, a speed reducing connection between said loose wheel and said member for rotating the latter in unison with the wheel, and mechanism for converting the rotary motion of said member into oscillatory motion of said handle and said figure.

8. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a frame, a wheeled support for said frame including a driving wheel and a loose wheel supporting the rear end of the frame, a power driven motor on said frame operatively connected to said driving wheel to propel the vehicle, a figure CARL ALFRED SWENSON. PHILIP R. SWENSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,217,704 Caifione Feb. 27, 1917 1,277,730 Kessler Sept. 3, 1918 2,351,510 Harless June 13, 1944 10 2,512,533 Savage June 20, 1950 

